USSA

US Ski Team

USSA

US Ski Team

History

Between 1830-1904 skiing arrived in America and ski clubs were founded in New England and the upper Midwest. It is an amzing sport and this was just the beginning.

In 1905, USSA began in Ispheming, MI as the National Ski Association of America The National Ski Association was formed during a meeting of ski clubs from Ishpeming, MI, Minneapolis, Red Wing, MN, and Eau Claire, WI. Ispheming Ski Club President Carl Tellefsen, a Norwegian native, was its first president.

Those five clubs came together in hopes of a large organization to join in the Olympics. They were successful and five clubs turned into a network of 400 clubs.

From its original focus on inter-club ski jumping competitions, the USSA has grown into the most diverse of any Olympic national governing body in America. It was started to join other countries like France and Switzerland and to make the sport a big organization and well recognized all over the world.

Postcard

A selection of postcards showing early ski jumping competitions held at Chester Bowl.

Poster

1928 Winter Olympics poster. Host city, St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Donna Weinbrecht

Donna Weinbrecht at the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France.

Postcard

A selection of postcards showing early ski jumping competitions held at Chester Bowl.

Poster

1928 Winter Olympics poster. Host city, St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Donna Weinbrecht

Donna Weinbrecht at the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France.

Progression

As I first said, it started as five clubs and grew tremendously. At first it was small and about 50 people were involved.

First cross country national championships joined ski jumping in Ashland, WI.Also, in 1908 skiing clubs and competitions increased throughout United States.

Along with skiing clubs increasing, USSA organized the first alpine combined race competed in Europe and through January 25 - February 5, 1924 the first U.S. medal was won at the Olympic Winter Games.

Today, the USSA is based in Park City, UT at it's USSA Center of Excellence, a national training and education center opened in May, 2009.The USSA continues to follow a vision of being best in the world in Olympic skiing and snowboarding, which was highlighted with a record performance at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games when 17 athletes won 21 Olympic skiing and snowboarding medals. They have more than any other nation!

In the beginning USSA was small but has grown to something that is very successful and is have such an amazing journey through the years.

Impact

USSA started to introduce skiing into our life. At the time when USSA was founded, only Europe was introduced to skiing and North America started to expand the sport and be more involved.

USSA has changed society by making skiing an American sport and making it a new sport that we can participate in with mostly every country around the world.

The US ski team does not have impact on everyday life.

Yes they do donate to charities such as “ccThrive”, and “One Fund Boston”

Personally, without skiing, and the US ski team, I wouldn’t be happy and I wouldn’t be as good as I am now without the training I have with my coaches and all they have done. The US ski team has so many inspiring stories and one day I hope to be in that spot.

Lindsey Vonn

Vonn in March 2008

First Paralympic Winter Games

Örnsköldsvik 1976 Paralympics logo.

March 1976

Athlete during the Alpine skiing events in Örnsköldsvik Paralympic Games.

Lindsey Vonn

Vonn in March 2008

First Paralympic Winter Games

Örnsköldsvik 1976 Paralympics logo.

March 1976

Athlete during the Alpine skiing events in Örnsköldsvik Paralympic Games.

Product

There is no product, the product of the organization is to promote a sport.

It brought countries together through a sport new to our country. It is the first organization to bring countries together through skiing.

It spread skiing all over the United States for the first time in history.

Influential Person

There was no influential person, it was 5 clubs coming together and creating it. Not one person, many people.

They founded it to introduce skiing to a new world, not to make some money but to get our country involved in a newly founded sport and to make the sport gain popularity like it is now.